Who walks with Rahul Gandhi and why it matters

What do celebs bring to the Bharat Jodo Yatra? They bring no mass of supporters with them. These ritualistic photo ops, therefore, do little for the BJY except to get the chatterati briefly interested

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) completed 100 days last Friday, covering two-thirds of the planned route. As the BJY threads its way across North India, it is in danger of becoming like Indian Premier League cricket, where cheerleaders enhance viewership, but serious cricket suffers.

Recent events make it increasingly doubtful whether Rahul Gandhi has been able to build a firm political narrative by undertaking such an arduous journey. Thoughtless photo-ops may be dissipating whatever political goodwill is earned, making the BJY look more like a picnic. Given security concerns and the need to send the right political